Come Visit. 

You’re at Home.

 
At GPC, we are united by faith in God’s promise, commitment to God’s purpose, and love in God’s presence. GPC belongs to the Presbyterian Church, USA (PCUSA).  We experience the word of our Lord each Sunday through praise, prayer, and insightful preaching. 
 
Our congregation is multicultural and diverse in ethnicity, socio-economics, and politics. We engage in local service and are supportive of worldwide missions. We invite you to join us for worship and community outreach. 
 

Our Mission & Vision

Gaithersburg Presbyterian Church, called by God to be: A global, caring community of faith, centered in Jesus Christ, training people to share His life everywhere we go.
 
Our top three priorities are:
  • To worship the Lord with heart, soul, mind and strength
  • To engage our neighbors in central Montgomery County
  • To equip each generation for Christian discipleship.
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

 

 
 
 
 

 

Sunday Mornings

 

8:45 – First Worship Service

Traditional order of worship, with hymns, sermon, and various choirs
 

10:00 – Education/Fellowship/Small Groups

A variety of educational classes, fellowship opportunities, and small group meetings
Children’s Sunday School
 

11:15 – Second Worship Service

Traditional order of worship, with hymns, sermon, and various choirs
Children’s Sunday School and Youth Group
 

 

History 


In 1962, the Potomac Presbytery selected the community of Gaithersburg as the location for a new church. The first service was held on November 25 with 25 parishioners in attendance. On May 17, 1964, the Gaithersburg Presbyterian Church was formally organized with 82 charter members. Services were originally held at the Gaithersburg Junior High and High Schools until the first building was constructed in 1966 at our current location. The first service in the new building was held on July 24, 1966.
 
From these humble beginnings, the GPC family has grown to more than 775 members of different backgrounds, cultures, ages, and occupations. The diversity within our walls has created a fruitful ministry and unites us as one family of God to worship and serve our Lord.
 

Our mission is to create a global community of faith-centered people in Jesus Christ, and to share His message in our daily lives. 
 
 
 

Full-time Staff 

The Rev. Mary Austin

Senior Pastor

Rev. Mary Austin comes to GPC from Westminster Church of Detroit, where she served as the head of staff. She is excited about working with the dedicated members and talented staff of GPC as we listen together for where God is leading GPC. She has also served as an associate pastor and as a hospice chaplain. She is the author of Meeting God at the Mall, and blogs from time to time at Stained Glass in the City. She and her husband, Carl Smith, have a daughter in college.

 

The Rev. Mary Beth Lawrence

Associate Pastor
 
Pastor Mary Beth is a native of South Carolina, and graduated from Furman University with a B.A. in history and from Columbia Theological Seminary with a Masters of Divinity degree. Prior to joining GPC in 2002, she served the First Presbyterian Church in Marietta, Georgia, for 15 years. While at GPC, she has met people from all over the world and traveled to Africa and to the Middle East to see what God is doing in those areas. She is happy to report that “The church is alive and well!” In Gaithersburg, she works with a hundred or more volunteers in the community and in the caring ministries of the church.
 

Carolyn Hayes

Director of Children and Young Families

Carolyn and her husband, Stuart, have been active members of GPC since 1998. Since then, she has served in many capacities—Sunday School teacher, VBS teacher and director, Bridges to Worship leader, church elder, lay leader, and coordinator for FourthNight children’s activities. Carolyn has a degree in Modern Society and Social Thought from the University of California at Santa Cruz and worked in retail for 14 years. She found her calling teaching preschool – first at Gaithersburg First Baptist Church for 2½ years and then at Gaithersburg Presbyterian Preschool & Kindergarten for the next 16 years. In 2017, she heeded God’s call to move to her current position. Carolyn and Stuart are the parents of an adult daughter.

 

Carrie Larsen

Director of Youth and Young Adult Ministries
 
Carrie is a passionate youth pastor and Christ follower who hails from Southern California but moved to the east coast several years ago. She has been serving in youth ministry for over 20 years in many different settings at various levels of leadership and loves youth of all races, nationalities, and backgrounds. Carrie has been described as creative, kind, a team player, compassionate, funny, outgoing, a leader, talkative, honest, and a Child of God. She enjoys traveling and seeing the world.
 

Wade Meyers

Director of Music and Worship Arts

Wade Meyers is a pianist, organist, carillonneur, and composer who comes to Gaithersburg Presbyterian Church from St. John’s Lutheran Church in Rockville. He is passionate about congregational singing, the role of song in community building, working with choirs and ensembles, and celebrating a diverse spectrum of worship music. In addition to serving the church, Wade also serves as Teaching Artist at Wolf Trap and as staff accompanist and music theory faculty for the Bass Works summer music program at Peabody.
 
 
 

 

Support Staff 

Lisa Lee
Accounting Manager
ext. 107
 
Jenna Obermiller Bruni Communications Manager
ext. 118
 

Andy Gosnell

Facilities Manager

ext. 109

 
Jimilee Kalu
Office Manager
ext. 101
Amy Smith
PreSchool & Kindergarten Director ext. 121
 
 
 
 
 
 

 Session 

 
Church officers are elected and serve as elders on session, the church’s governing council. Other members serve as deacons to lead GPC works of compassion and as trustees to represent the church corporation. Lay leaders work closely with pastors and church staff to drive our mission forward.
 
 
 
 

GPC is always looking for energetic individuals to serve our community!